What You Should Know About Online Business in Islamic Perspective

Business is defined as an organization that provides goods or services to earn profits. Profits in this context are defined as the difference between a business’s revenues and its expenses (Ebert & Griffin, 1998).

The online business describes the use of electronic means and platforms to conduct a company’s business (Kotler & Keller, 2008).

From the economic in Islamic perspective, the online business describes the transaction between the seller and buyer by some platform with an internet basis. This kind of business is permissible to do as long as it follows with the Islamic rules on selling and buying. 

If one of them becomes a cheater so that the business becomes haram because harm another one. So, here we have some Islamic perspectives about the online business which become trending in our society.

Nowadays, the online business makes you easier to move than a traditional one. Besides, the benefit also comes higher than you expected.

1. According To The Shariah

Online businesses should be followed by Islamic law in selling and buying. The Shariah concept is about to protect between the seller and buyer without make any harm to them such as get the highest benefit from it.

In Islam, the rules can be more become a way to seek Allah’s gratitude. That is why an online business will be easier to do as following the law of mutual funds in Islam.

In the Quran surah, Al Baqarah verse 275 mentions about this.

اَلَّذِيْنَ يَأْكُلُوْنَ الرِّبٰوا لَا يَقُوْمُوْنَ اِلَّا كَمَا يَقُوْمُ الَّذِيْ يَتَخَبَّطُهُ الشَّيْطٰنُ مِنَ الْمَسِّۗ ذٰلِكَ بِاَنَّهُمْ قَالُوْٓا اِنَّمَا الْبَيْعُ مِثْلُ الرِّبٰواۘ وَاَحَلَّ اللّٰهُ الْبَيْعَ وَحَرَّمَ الرِّبٰواۗ فَمَنْ جَاۤءَهٗ مَوْعِظَةٌ مِّنْ رَّبِّهٖ فَانْتَهٰى فَلَهٗ مَا سَلَفَۗ وَاَمْرُهٗٓ اِلَى اللّٰهِ ۗ وَمَنْ عَادَ فَاُولٰۤىِٕكَ اَصْحٰبُ النَّارِ ۚ هُمْ فِيْهَا خٰلِدُوْنَ – ٢٧٥

“People who eat usury cannot stand but rather like the establishment of a person who is possessed by Satan because he is crazy. That is because they say that buying and selling is the same as usury. Though Allah has justified the sale and purchase and forbid usury. Whoever gets a warning from his Lord, then he stops, then what he has obtained previously belongs to him and his affairs (it’s up to) to God. Whoever repeats, they are the inhabitants of hell, they are eternal in it.” (QS 2:275)

2. A Clear Obligation

Online business sometime can jump into a dilemmatic problem if one of the parties becomes a cheater. It will happen when it comes to preorder online shopping in Islam. That is why it needs a clear obligation before the final decision was taken.

Both sellers and buyers have to read the term and condition belong to the product they will choose. It is important because in online business the concept becomes a debt matter.

In the Quran surah, Al Baqarah verse 282 mentions about this.

يٰٓاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْٓا اِذَا تَدَايَنْتُمْ بِدَيْنٍ اِلٰٓى اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى فَاكْتُبُوْهُۗ وَلْيَكْتُبْ بَّيْنَكُمْ كَاتِبٌۢ بِالْعَدْلِۖ وَلَا يَأْبَ كَاتِبٌ اَنْ يَّكْتُبَ كَمَا عَلَّمَهُ اللّٰهُ فَلْيَكْتُبْۚ وَلْيُمْلِلِ الَّذِيْ عَلَيْهِ الْحَقُّ وَلْيَتَّقِ اللّٰهَ رَبَّهٗ وَلَا يَبْخَسْ مِنْهُ شَيْـًٔاۗ

“O believers! If you owe a debt for a specified time, you should write it down. And let a writer among you write it correctly. Let the writer refuse to write it as God has taught him, so let him write it. And let the one who owes it dictates, and let him fear Allah, his Lord, and let him not reduce the slightest of it…” (QS 2:282)

3. Rigid Receipt

A rigid receipt means protecting both the seller and the buyer. In Online business, there will be a different payment so that everything must be clear on the receipt. If you want to do a bargain thing or so, it is better to do before the receipt has made.

For your convince, it is better to make sure that the product is available. It is important so that there will be a difficult thing about the receipt as following the law of buying goods with an advance in Islam.

In the Quran surah, Al Baqarah verse 283 mention about this.

وَاِنْ كُنْتُمْ عَلٰى سَفَرٍ وَّلَمْ تَجِدُوْا كَاتِبًا فَرِهٰنٌ مَّقْبُوْضَةٌ ۗفَاِنْ اَمِنَ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا فَلْيُؤَدِّ الَّذِى اؤْتُمِنَ اَمَانَتَهٗ وَلْيَتَّقِ اللّٰهَ رَبَّهٗ ۗ وَلَا تَكْتُمُوا الشَّهَادَةَۗ وَمَنْ يَّكْتُمْهَا فَاِنَّهٗٓ اٰثِمٌ قَلْبُهٗ ۗ وَاللّٰهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ عَلِيْمٌ ࣖ – ٢٨٣

“And if you’re on a trip you’re not getting a writer, then get something held. However, if some of you believe in others, get the believer to fulfill his mandate (debt) and bring him to fear Allah, his Lord. And do not dispute testimony, because whoever wins, truly, recovers dirty (sinful). Allah knows best what you do.” (QS 2: 283)

4. Responsible Owner and Employee

Becomes an incredible online business needs more than a great chance but also a responsible owner and employee.

In Islamic law on selling and buying, responsibility becomes the most crucial thing. It can help your business ran so well an get more blessings from Allah to avoid some effects of sins in Islam.

In the Quran surah, An Najm verses 38-41 mention about this.

اَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِّزْرَ اُخْرٰىۙ – ٣٨ وَاَنْ لَّيْسَ لِلْاِنْسَانِ اِلَّا مَا سَعٰىۙ – ٣٩ وَاَنَّ سَعْيَهٗ سَوْفَ يُرٰىۖ – ٤٠ ثُمَّ يُجْزٰىهُ الْجَزَاۤءَ الْاَوْفٰىۙ – ٤١

“(that is) that a person who sins will not bear the sins of others, and that man only gets what he has tried to do, and that his efforts will be shown (to him), will then be rewarded with the most perfect reply,” (QS 53: 38-41)

So, there are four Islamic perspectives in online business that you should follow. It is important to rule these things so that you will be getting more grant from Allah